Broadcast seeder.



L. E. ROBY.

BROADCAST SEEDER.

-APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. m3.

1,205,786. Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHET I.

L. E. ROBY. BROADCAST SEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 10. l9l3.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

2. SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r'nrrnn STATES PATENT clarion LUTHER E. BOBY, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

BROADCAST SEEDER.

Application filed February 10, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER E. Rory, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Broadcast Seeders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to seeding machines.

My invention as herein disclosed is applied to a type of machine commonly known as a broadcast seeder.

My invention has special reference to new mechanical combinations involving .old elements .associated in .a new relation to effect a new result; to simplify structures with a view of reducing the cost of manufacture.

My invention consists in the association of anend gate, hopper,-feed and distributing devices ina relation to promote convenience in use of the seeding device and to bring into play a controlled gravity feed in association with the particular fluted feed to obtain the highest degree of vefficiency of control of the supply of grain delivered to the fandistributers.

My invention involvesdetails of constructionand combinations hereinafter more particularly set out.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a rear view of the device as viewed when applied toaiwagon end gate; Fig.2 isa side elevation of the device, and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing generally the manner of connecting seeding devices with the end gate and particularly :the manner of feeding the grain respectively to ;a force feed and upon fan distributers. Fig. i is a plan view of a casting.

The broadcast seeder is a well worked art, both in the patent and practical sense and I am aware of the fact that heretofore fan distributers, force feeds and hoppers combined in various relations and separately considered areold. in such ,patent and mechanical .arts, and I have been engaged in the manufactureof devices oftthis class involving step by ste improvement combinations for a number of years,but in-this final step or improvement herewith presented I have attained the highest degreeof efliciency at the least cost.

My practical experience has taught me that a flutedroller as a feed element is absolutely essential to control andestablish a proper grain (particularly oats) :discharge upon distributing fans. Furthermore, I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Serial No. 747,263.

have found that oats (which is practically the only grain that is sowed in this class of device) when deposited in a vertically dis posed hopper and bearing over and upon a fluted roller, even when an agitator is interposed, as instanced in Patent No. 783387 to Roby, Jones and Gibson, will pack under some conditions in a manner to interfere with regular, uniform feeding to the fans, if not quite interrupting such feed. Desiring, therefore, to utilize a fluted feed and to overcome the disadvantage of packing, I have associated a hopper and a lead to the fluted feed at such an incline that the friction occasioned by the How of grain therethrough will sufliciently retard the same to prevent packing. Furthermore, incident to such inclination or angular disposition of the hopper and resulting from the same, I

have been able to dispose-the hopper at the opposite side of the end gate from the fan distributers so that the open .end thereof is within the vehicle body or wagon box.

I am aware of the fact that it is common to dispose a hopper within a wagon box or general seed carrying receptacle, but in all of the instances of such use, I observe that vantages attending the use ofan auger feed,

and simply feed the grain through the endgate by gravity. In doing this, Ireduce the cost as well as eliminate the disadvantages of an anger feed and still make it possible to use a fluted feed and provide a continuous inclined passagewav from the mouthof the hopper to the fluted feed roller and disposed at-such an inclination that the friction of the grain will sufficiently retard it to prevent packing adjacent the fluted feed roller.

Referring to the drawings, 2 indicates di agrammatically a vwagon body; 8 is an end gate; 4 is an opening through the end gate; 5 is a hopper; 6 is a casting comprehending a general chute continuation 7 from hopper 5 through opening 4 inthe endgate and the circular castings 8 adapted each to contain a fluted roller communicating with the common feed chute 7; and .the outlet .ducts 9 leading respectively to the adjustable spouts 10 pivoted to said casing. Casting 6 is adapted to be secured to the end gate and to communicate through opening 4 with hop- 1 11 is a casting adapted to be secured to the end gate and is provided with openings 12 therein, into which spouts 10 extend.

14 are fans fixed to stub shafts 15, the latter being supported from bearing 16, on casting 11, and the upper end of said shafts being carried in the sleeves of bracket 17 Incidental to the grain seeding devices I use in conjunction therewith a grass seeder comprising hopper 18 communicating with and held in casting 19, the same being cup shaped at the top portion to receive the hopper and suitably shaped to carry a fluted roller at its lower portion.

20 are diverging spouts connecting and communicating with the portion of the casting carrying the fluted roller. Its discharge ends communicate with openings as 21 (see Fig. 3) in casting 6, the same being an expanded portion directly over swinging spouts 10.

I have provided controls for regulating the supply of grain both to the fluted force feed provided for the grain and for the grass seed. Those for the grain comprise slides 22, there being provided one for each fluted roller, or rather in front of each feed roller, which is adapted to be moved lengthwise of the feed roller to admit quantities of grain to suit the conditions of seeding. The slides may be set in any position desired by means of set screws 23. Similarly and in the same relation I provide slide 24 to control the supply of grain to the grass seed feed roller and it is similarly set in the desired position by means of wing nut 25. 42 is an agitator shaft provided with agitators 43 thereon. The position of adjustable spouts 10 is controlled through slotted straps 44 pivoted at their lower ends to casting 11, the slots therein engaging threaded bolts as 45 on said spouts. The spouts being placed in any desired position, they are fixed in such po sition by means of wing nuts 46.

In the operation of the seeding devices, it is necessary that parts shall be driven, and to that end I have provided the'main drive shaft 26 which has its main support in brackets or castings connected with the end gate, said shaft having special hearings in connection with sleeves 27 thereof. Said shaft is also supported from bracket 28. A

vertical support is established for said shaft by connection of bars 29 between casting 11 and sleeves 27. j V

30 are beveled gears fixed to shaft 26 and are engaged by beveled pinions 31 fixed on fan shafts 15, serving as a driving connection for said fan distributers. seed roller 36 and agitator 35 are. driven The grass from sprocket chain connection 32 between sprocket wheels 33 34 and 35 respectively on shafts 26 35 and 36 the latter carrying grass seed fluted roller 36. Grain feed roller 37 and agitator shaft 42 are driven from sprocket chain connection 38 from sprocket wheel '39 on drive shaft 26 to sprocket wheel 40 on shaft 41 and sprocket wheel 47 on agitator shaft 42, the idler 40 being interposed to give direction to the chain 38. The force feed roller 37 is mounted on shaft 41. Shaft 26 is designed to be connected in the usual way to be driven through sprocket chain connection with a sprocket wheel on the ve hicle wheel and a suitable clutch provided to put the seeder in or out of action.

In practice the grass seed hopper is filled in the usual way. The grain inthe wagon body is adapted to be shoveled into hopper 5. The lower portion 5 of said hopper is disposed at a suitable angle from the horizontal to accommodate gravitation of the grain to and through opening 4 in the end gate and into chute portion 7 of casting 6, thus bringing grain to the fluted rollers adapted to be agitated immediately in advance of said rollers and to be fed thereto by gravity, under the control of sliding valves 22. The grain is then passed into discharge portion 9 of casting 6, which communicates with adjustable spouts 10-and the grain passes from said spouts upon the fans and upon the particular portion thereof that may be desired, by and through the control and location of said adjustable spouts and from thence will be distributed upon the ground.

I have shown herein the preferred form of embodiment of my invention, but do not wish to be confined to the specific disclosure ierein, but claim all forms of embodiment that fall legitimately within the scope of said invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a broadcast seeder, in combination, an endgate for a wagon provided with an opening therethrough, a hopper within the wagon body having a bottom portion inclined downwardly and outwardly, with an outlet communicating with the opening in the end gate, a chute without the wagon body, leading from the opening in the end gate, a casing having an inlet with which said chute communicates and also being provided with an outlet, a valve for controlling the flow of grain from the chute to the easing, a force feed roller in the casing and a distributing member. I

2. In a broadcast seeder, in combination, an end gate for a wagonprovided with an opening therethrough disposed approximately in its vertical and longitudinal center, a'hopper disposed wholly within the wagon body having a bottom inclined downwardly and outwardly and with an out let communicating with the opening in the end gate, a chute without the wagon body leading from the opening in the end gate, a force feed roller in the chute, said chute being inclined downwardly and outwardly at such an angle that while permitting the grain to flow by gravity to the feed roller will retard it sufiiciently to prevent choking, and a distributing member to receive grain from the feed roller.

3. In a broadcast seeder, in combination, an end gate for a wagon provided with an opening therethrough disposed approximately in its vertical and longitudinal center, a hopper disposed on the inside of the end gate, the bottom member thereof inclined downwardly and outwardly, and in connection with the general hopper structure gradually contracted to form an outlet registering substantially with the opening through the end gate, a casing member on the opposite side of the end gate, a portion thereof registering with the outlet opening and having a similar incline to that of the bottom of the hopper, the outer portion of said casing being expanded into a substantially cylindrical shaped shell provided with an inlet opening in register with the inclined portion of said casing member and with an outlet opening, a force feed roller within the cylindrical shell portion of said casing and means for turning said feed roller whereby the grain deposited in the hopper will be fed under restricted flow through the end gate and lodged against the side of the feed roller, to be fed in measured quantities to the discharge opening.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LUTHER E. ROBY. \Vitnesses:

MARY E. CoMnGYs, W. V. TEFFT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

